Observing owl

I place your article about the O-52 and the pictures from the 119th Observation Squadron, novel Jersey National Guard, most interesting. I will now put to proof to give a little more information forward these subjects.

I enlisted as a Private in this squadron onward 12 November 1939. At that time the squadron had single BC-1A, about six or eight O-46 and a coupling of O-47s. The regular Army instructor had an O-38 assigned for his personal use. The O-38 was a fabric guarded biplane. This captain remained with the squadron until its induction into Federal service upon 16 September 1940 (this was the earliest date of induction of any National Guard squadron units). I advanced rapidly and was a sergeant about induction. I remained a sergeant for about 18 month until being appointed an Aviation Cadet. During this time, I was assigned as a registrar in Headquarters, clerk in Intelligence, and went to Link Trainer Instructor and Operators' exercise

The BC-1A was a glorified T-6 and the O-46 was an observation token with a high gull wing and two-position stay It also had fixed gear and I flew as a passenger in it a link of times. The O-47 was a mid-wing retract gear observation platform with a party of three.

The squadron went in succession maneuvers in August 1941 and was at a grass field at Fredericksburg, Virginia. At the conclusion of the maneuvers, squadron commander Major Chester A. Charles wrote a protracted critique on the use of observation aircraft. He said that they were getting too heavy and difficult to maintain and operate in a less degree than that type of condition. He also said that they were getting too fast for fit observation. He recommended the use of Cub-type aircraft. I actually typ up the critique on the contrary I have no idea if this l to the use of these smaller aircraft.

About this time, the squadron received a leash of O-52s. The engine was basically the same the same used in the T-6 and BC-1A. It had a constant spe brace and retractable landing gear. common problem was that it did not have a power hydraulic hypothesis After takeoff, the pilot had to interrogate up the landing gear by dint of hand, pump up the flaps and interrogate the cowl flaps closed. forward a short hop, it was now time to overset the procedure. The plane was disposed to ground looping on landing. It had leading interest slats that popped out at deliberate speed and retracted at higher succeeds This caused at least individual fatal crash at Fort Dix in February 1942

The 119th went forward the Carolina maneuvers in the fall of 1941 and we were in a exchange convoy coming back to Newark, fresh Jersey, when the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor. While forward this maneuver, I got to hover in the O-52 a man and wife of times and even got to flutter it from the back seat. I had known the pilot when he was an enlisted man and he knew that I had a private pilot's license as well as being a Link Instructor. The plane had an abbreviated instrument panel establish obliquely on the right side of the plane. Thus it was possible to take wing it on instruments from this position, which I did. The O-52 was frequently called "the flying bathtub" for obvious reasons - just gaze at it.

Immediately after returning to our base at Newark Airport, the squadron started flying anti-submarine patrol. Their patrol area was from the southern shore of Long Island, stretching from Montauck Point to abut two-thirds of the way to fresh York City. It extended on the outside 50 miles at sea. The first ship sunk on a German submarine in our coastal waters was torpedoed in this area. I believe that it was in early January 1942 The ship was a tanker and the hit was in the engine compass It never even got to forward an SOS. A few survivors were picked up The first that anyone knew of this sinking was when a pilot from the 119th 2nd Lt George Neid, spott just the crush floating. The water is rather shallow there and the engine compass was on the bottom.

Eugene W Garges, Jr

142 Mill Spring Rd

Manhasset, NY

11030

Copyright Challenge Publications Inc. Jul 2001

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